MARSELINO Ferdinan is edging closer to making his Oxford United debut, helped by an electric display while on international duty.

The 20-year-old winger scored a match-winning brace with two well-taken goals as Indonesia beat Saudi Arabia in a World Cup qualifier.

He opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark and then doubled his tally shortly before an hour had been played.

Ferdinan’s first goal saw him collect the ball on the left wing and drive forward before nudging a pass to teammate Ragnar Oratmangoen on his outside.

Ferdinan continued with his run on the inside and received a cutback inside the penalty area from Oratmangoen, and he then dummied a defender before firing across goal with his right foot.

His brace came when he drove onto a loose ball just inside the box and saw a strike deflected, before he then pounced on the rebound and dinked an effort over Ahmed Al-Kassar in the Saudi goal.

United head coach Des Buckingham watched the game at the club’s training ground, and was impressed by what he saw from his summer signing.

He said: “We sat here because it was on during our lunchtime, and we actually sat and watched it.

“To score two goals, and for those two goals to win a game against a strong nation in Saudi Arabia, it was a wonderful thing for him and it’s a wonderful thing for Indonesian football.

“We saw when Dane went away with the England Under-21s, they do come back with a bit of a swagger and a bit more about them, if you put it that way.

“It was going to take him some time to adapt to what we do and how we do it, and English football in itself is a very different beast to what he’s been used to.

“If anything, I’d like to think that the work that he’s done and the development he’s had here is certainly helping him with the national team.

“It’s now about him competing for a spot, and if he continues to develop at the rate he has done since he’s been in the building, I’m sure it won’t be long before he makes his debut.”

The 2-0 victory lifted Indonesia up to third in their 2026 World Cup qualifying group.

Ferdinan previously played just under quarter of an hour from the bench as Indonesia lost 4-0 to Japan last week.

The U’s signed Ferdinan on a free transfer in August. His career began in Indonesia, with Persebaya, before he moved to Belgian second tier side KMSK Deinze, who he left in the summer.